How to Dress for a Black Tie Event for men - OWNONLY

Method 1 of 2: Decipher What Black Tie Means

1Determine what level of black tie the event calls for.

• There are several different ways that black tie events are referred to in invitations. The first is "Black Tie Preferred." This means that a black tie outfit should be your first choice, but if you can’t pull off the black tie tux or floor length gown for some reason, you will still be permitted into the event with a really nice outfit, such as your best suit or a very nice cocktail dress.
• If you choose not to wear black tie to an event that is deemed black tie preferred, you should do it with confidence and accept the fact that most people will be wearing black tie attire.
• The label “Black Tie Optional” gives a little more clue into how you can dress for the event. Basically, you should not dress down for a black tie optional event, but you can choose to wear either full black tie garb (e.g., a tux for men and a floor length gown for women), or you can wear a nice suit for men and a very nice dress for women. At a black tie optional event, the crowd will most likely be split in half between black tie and a very formal style of dress.
• If you still can’t decide what to wear and you know other people who are attending the event, ask them what they will be wearing. This may give you a leg up on what exactly to wear, especially if you can ask the host of the event.
• The final label for a black tie event that is a little less used is "Black Tie Creative." This is about the least formal, but nevertheless, still formal. Black tie creative means you can switch out your white tux shirt for a black shirt or you can wear a red tie to add flavor to your outfit. For the ladies, you can be a little bit flashier in your choice of gown colors, and it isn’t unheard of to even go as far as to wear a tiara.

Method 2 of 3: Menswear for a Black Tie Event

1Wear a full tuxedo including a tux dinner jacket, a tux shirt with a wing collar, trousers, cummerbund or vest and a black bow tie to dress for a black tie event.

Consider wearing a blue tux. Although the invitation says black, you can still pull off wearing a midnight blue tux to a black tie event.

2Complete your look with black, shined dress shoes.